Fire Prevention

Charlotte Fire Department

The Charlotte Fire Department's Prevention Bureau is responsible for ensuring Charlotte residents and businesses are safe.

The bureau's mission is to protect the lives and property of our citizens through effective code enforcement by reviewing land development and building plans; inspecting buildings, tenant processes, and fire and life safety protection systems; and evaluating public/private water supplies for effective municipal fire protection.


To pay a Citation, New Permit, Hydrant Flow Request online, click here.

As of July 1st 2022, our pricing on our permits/services have changed. Please be sure to use the most updated forms on our website with the current pricing.

Contact Us

Phone: 704.336.2101   |   Fax: 704.336.2101

Location: 500 Dalton Avenue Charlotte, NC 28206

View the Complete Fire Prevention Staff listing


Attention All Businesses:

We (Charlotte Fire Department) are asking that your company please forward any "Life Safety Inspection Reports" from business within the City of Charlotte to: CFDBldgSysRpt@ci.charlotte.nc.us.

The reports shall be from any of the following that apply:

  • Fire Sprinkler
  • Fire Alarm
  • Fire Pump
  • Fire line Backflow Preventer
  • Hood Suppression System
  • Paint Booth Suppression System
  • And any other Alternative Automatic Fire Extinguishing Systems

This procedure allows the CFD the ability to keep an accurate account of life safety systems throughout the Charlotte area, and also address those businesses that choose not to maintain or service their equipment.


Register a Fire Code Complaint

If you need to submit a fire code complaint on a weekday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., you may contact the Fire Prevention Bureau directly at 704-336-2101. To file a non-life threatening fire code complaint after normal business hours, please complete the form below.  A fire inspector will follow-up with your complaint the following business day. Please be as specific as possible with complaint details.

Click here to fill out the Fire Code Complaint form.

NOTE: If you are reporting a life-safety hazard such as locked or blocked exits or means of egress, overcrowding, or any other condition that presents an immediate hazard to life of property, call 911 and we will dispatch a crew from the closest station to investigate.

Register a Fire Alarm System Impairment

This form below shall be completed and submitted when any fire and life-safety or fire protection system is taken out of service for purposes of repair, additions or upgrades, etc. If routine annual testing of systems will require systems being placed in "test" with the central monitoring station, this is considered an impairment.

When systems are out of service, you must follow some guidelines established in the North Carolina Fire Code, and you must also establish a "fire watch" to patrol all affected system outages as indicated. The documents below will assist you.

IMPORTANT: You must still notify your central monitoring station and advise them of the impairment, off-line, or "test" condition. When the system is placed back in service, make an immediate return call notifying them the system is back on line.

If you are unable to complete the electronic form below, you may contact our Impairment Hotline at 704-353-0970 to register your impairment.

Click here to fill out the Fire Alarm System Impairment form.

Fire Equipment Servicing Guidelines

Effective January 1, 2010, companies providing installation and/or inspection service on portable fire extinguishers or fire-suppression systems protecting commercial cooking equipment are required to follow the guidelines established in the "Fire Equipment Servicing Guidelines" document below.

These guidelines shall not preclude companies from following all other inspection, service or installation requirements otherwise established in the North Carolina Fire Code and applicable NFPA standards.

In addition, there is a list below representing companies that have registered with our office, acknowledging their understanding of our guidelines.

Plan Review Division

The Charlotte Fire Department's Fire Prevention Bureau employs full-time plan reviewers responsible for reviewing and approving all construction documents.

This process is done in conjunction with other related trades with the Mecklenburg County Land Use and Environmental Services Agency (LUESA). Listed below are some links, documents, and information that will aid you in meeting the requirements of the Charlotte Fire Department.

All new buildings, additions to existing buildings, renovations and upfits, and changes of use to an existing building require an inspection by a fire official for the purpose of obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). The information provided below may be used as a guide to help you prepare for the inspection. To request an inspection, contact our office at 704-336-2101.


Building Standards for Review Requirements


Shop Drawing Submittal Requirements

New Construction and Upfit Regulations and Documents

From constructing new buildings to making renovations, from installing new fire-suppression systems to testing fire hydrants, Charlotte Fire Department inspectors are ready to assist.

Review the information below to learn more about the services we provide and to find any required forms.


Certificate of Occupancy and TCO Guidelines

All new buildings, additions to existing buildings, renovations and upfits, and changes of use to an existing building require an inspection by a fire official for the purpose of obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). The information provided below may be used as a guide to help you prepare for the inspection. To request an inspection, contact our office at 704-336-2101.

If your building requires a Knox Box, please see our Knox Box requirements.


Fire Hydrant Testing


Fire Alarm, Standpipes, Fire Sprinkler Systems and Other Fixed Extinguishing Systems


General

Fire Code Information and Regulations

Special Events

Tent Guidelines


Exhibit and Trade Shows


Pyrotechnics, Fairs and Carnivals

General Information

Emergency Planning


General